Why we weren’t allowed to say goodbye to Nicollette Sheridan
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When we at Showtracker learned in February that Wisteria Lane’s resident tramp was being killed off the show, and permanently this time, we were not happy. Without Edie Britt on ‘Desperate Housewives,’ who would continue putting Susan in her place? (And doesn’t Susan so often need to be put in her place?)
In an attempt to say a proper farewell, we arranged to sit-down with actress Nicollette Sheridan.
We wanted the details of why her character was being taken out, and in so violent a fashion (she was choked, involved in a car crash and electrocuted in less than five minutes!), when Edie has been so integral to some of the series’ best comedy. We wanted to reminisce about Edie’s best moments -- like that string of confessionals: ‘I seduced the cable guy again,’ ‘I’m having an affair with a folk singing duo,’ ‘Last week, I let Rabbi Lippman get to third base,’ ‘Mike Delfino and I made out today -- and it was great!’
Her personal rep enthused: ‘We love this idea.’ Silence followed for weeks. And then it fell through without explanation.
Until now.
Turns out Sheridan ran her mouth off to TV Guide, and her reps were doing preemptive damage control.
In the magazine’s latest issue, the actress said in no uncertain terms that ‘Housewives’ had lost its mojo: “When the show started it was such a different beast. It was exciting and dangerous and funny and edgy and bizarre. [Then] it started feeling a little complacent, and that was very frustrating.” Sheridan also complained that Edie never got enough attention from the writers. “When you have a jewel, why not polish it and put it out there for all to see?” she said.
Cherry, of course, had a different take, telling the magazine that Edie had run her course: ‘Edie’s already slept with most of the guys on the street and has caused about as many problems as she could.’ Then he struck where we’re sure it hurt: ‘We will find a new kind of sexiness coming through Wisteria Lane. What I won’t do is cast another fortysomething sexy blonde. [Sheridan] performed the aging neighborhood tramp better than anyone has ever done before.”
Sheridan’s last episode as Edie airs Sunday.
-- Denise Martin
Related:
‘Desperate Housewives’: Neal McDonough says filming Edie’s death was horrible